Celtic Books

I cannot reccomend Ni Dhomhnaill's work highly enough. She is continuing in the tradition established by women like Eavan Boland, Peig Sayers, and Medbh McGuckian--teaching the world that Irish women can write with a beauty and an intensity that must not--and cannot--be overshadowed by their male colleagues. I first read Ni Dhomhnaill in a class in grad school, and have continued to read her work constantly. Her poems are well grounded in the technique of true poetry, and her gift for her native Irish shines through each work. For those readers who haven't had the luxury to learn Irish, the poems in her volumes are translated by some of the most talented Irish poets alive--Seamus Heaney, Medbh McGuckian, John Montague, and Paul Durcan have all lent a hand in the translations. The work itself is steeped in Irish mythology, which Ni Dhomhnaill understands and alludes to deftly, but without overpowering sentimentality. Some shining examples of her talent that appear in the volume are "The Language Issue," "Blodewedd," "Aubade," and "Island." Ni Dhomhnaill is sure to prove herself one of the great writers of the era.

This a wonderfully concise, yet chocked full of information books on the stone that were left by the Picts of Scotland. Lot of graphic work showing pictish symbols and knots, photographs(black & white), and maps, this gives anyone wishing to study these stone the perfect guide to their location and all information concerning that find.

Denotes the type of stone used, catagorises and classifies them, lists if they are in the care of museums or on private land. In other words, she gives just what you need to know about these fascination works of art in stone left my a race that has not been explored nearly enough.

Written by Ann Dooley (associate professor in the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto) Playing the Hero: Reading the Irish Saga Tain Bo Cuailnge is an in-depth scrutiny of the surviving manuscripts of the great twelfth-century Irish saga, the Tain Bo Cuailnge (Cattle-Raid of Cooley). Arguing that the scribes' work in recording the Tain Bo Cuailnge is both a transmission and a translation, Playing the Hero explores how the historical circumstances of the breadth of the twelfth century impacted the literary creativity of the minds behind this ancient classic. Intended for a scholarly audience, Playing the Hero leaves no stone unturned in its search for nuance and understanding in what Tain Bo Cuailnge can tell modern-day readers of Irish mythology and culture centuries past. Exhaustive notes, a bibliography and an index round out this fine addition to Irish historical literary studies and college library shelves.

Based on the model of the ancient Celts, David Adam's Power Lines provides contemporary prayers that convert common features of the workday into opportunities for prayer. Power Lines incudes prayers for the various times of the day, as well as for emotional responses to work. Of particular interest is the chapter devoted to those who live and work in cities. A Voice in the Night: Father Almighty, Lord of all,/Hear your loved one when I call.//Jesus all loving, Savior of all,/Hear your loved one when I call.//Spirit all Powerful, guide of all,/Hear your loved one when I call./Trinity all blessed, ruler of all,/Hear your loved one when I call.

It is indeed tragic that so little of Lewis' work is currently in print. Lewis was a gifted playwright, poet, Catholic apologist and Welsh Nationalist who wrote in Welsh. Pritchard-Jones' selection captures this multi-faceted writer brilliantly. The book really conveys a sense of the full vision and scope of Lewis' artistry and social conscience. The poetry is brilliant and deeply evocative. The theatre pieces are poetry in themselves. Unfortunately, this makes it all the more lamentable that Lewis' genius is not more readily available to a wider audience. Lewis' influences range from Pascal to Beckett to Medieval Welsh Poetry. This is a truly fantastic and rewarding book. I highly recommend it. IF YOU ONLY READ ONE BOOK THIS SUMMER... (sorry, couldn't resist that)... This is a truly wonderful effort. Thank you Harri Pritchard-Jones for your work in compiling it.

Of the other books I've read by Andronik, this is deffinetly her best. It left me in tears-not because it was sad, but because it was the best book I ever read-or one of them. It asked you the question instead of telling you, and helped you support your own decision. I really would like to thank Andronik for putting her talent into writing, and that no matter what, she wrote!

The ancient myths of a culture tell you a great deal about the origins and development of that culture, where it originated and some of its history. Of course, much is diluted and altered over the years, but if you read it carefully, you can see the ancient values.
The myths in this book are split into six sections, based on the area of origin. They are from Ireland, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales and Arthurian legends. These areas all share a common cultural heritage, that of the Celts, yet you can see some differences. Like the ancient myths from other areas of the world, these myths feature dragons, giants, wizards, witches, heroes fighting great battles, the underworld of the dead, love and marriage, forest and sea monsters, kings and queens.
If you are interested in the ancient myths and legends of the Celtic peoples whose historical legacy is in the area of the British Isles, then this is a book that will fascinate you.

Books don't get much better than this one. It is a true literary classic, that I highly recommend to anyone even the least bit curious about Yates. It is, without a doubt, simply the best book I've ever read....not only that, it's probably the best book ever published. Perhaps, the best collection of words on paper in the entire history of mankind. This book will make you think! It's epic proportion is matched only by perhaps The Schastic Scriptures. The authour's genius is clearly present from the very first sentence! Amazon only lets me give this thing five stars....I really think it deserves 5 million! Buy it! Buy It Now! Buy one for you Mom, your Dad, your brother, your sister, your son, your daughter, your boss, your teacher, your cousin, your aunt, your uncle, your bus driver, your coffee shop espresso server, your gas station attendant, your accountant, your lawyer, your ex-wife, your president. Hell, even get a copy for your dog and cat!! You can't get enough of this book!

Rediscovering The South's Celtic Heritage is a scholarly work that explores the roots of America's pioneering Celts, and the role they played in settling the nation, particularly along the reaches of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Their culture tended to perpetuate itself in isolated pockets, existing on the edge of the mainstream until the 20th century brought about more homogenization and democratization of information and lifestyles than ever before. An intriguing examination of Southern Celtic religion, folklore, cultural practices and contributions to American history.

As a force fueling the development of an Irish national identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Celtic Revival proved an important movement in modern Irish history. Yet with such luminaries as William Butler Yeats and J. M. Synge among its leading figures, the literary expression of the movement has overshadowed its other elements. In this book, art historian Jeanne Sheehy seeks to provide a more complete understanding of the Revival by examining its impact on the visual arts of the era.

Sheehy begins by tracing the origins of the movement to the developing interest in history throughout Europe in the early nineteenth century, particularly in medieval history. This fueled the first significant study of Irish antiquities, particularly those of the Celtic and early Christian (pre-English) eras. These discoveries generated a growing respect for Ireland's cultural heritage, one neglected by elites in recent centuries who sought to identify themselves more closely to English culture. Now Irish emblems such as the shamrock and the harp became symbols of Irish pride, and were seized upon by activists such as those in the Young Ireland movement as badges of identity.

Sheehy chronicles this development with a sure command of the artistic developments of the era. She notes the reflection of the movement in the painting, sculpture, and architecture of the era, demonstrating how the Revival was reflected in nearly every field of artistry. Though she concludes that a distinctively Irish style failed to develop from the Revival, she nonetheless identifies several threads of development that demonstrate the importance of the Revival to Irish art from the era. Thoroughly researched, generously illustrated, and well-written, this is a valuable study of its subject, one that offers an added dimension to studying the interaction between culture and nationalism in modern Irish history.